Out of My Plans/Into God's Story

(S1) — My Plan/God’s Plan

Wanting to be a Policeman

Ever made plans for your life that didn’t work out? What you wanted to be...do...how you wanted to live...

Landscape Plans—CAD’s were much better....than I was

When it came to my plans (20’s)...the plans I made were mine not God’s

“Your future is what YOU make of it” Doc, Back to the Future

If this is true, then we are only living into our story not God’s.

Old saying that says, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”

Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

Here is what I have discovered...

(S2)

God’s STORY is usually different than our PLAN!

It’s not until our hearts are fully on fire for Jesus, that we can truly live into the whole story of God.

The Bible in a year…Moses and the Israelites are part of God’s plan, but God had to bring them OUT-OF their Egypt...so they would live INTO His story

3:8 I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them OUT OF Egypt INTO their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey...

Today’s Scripture lesson is about Moses, who is living his plans...finds himself face to face with God...“On Holy Ground”...called to live into God’s story

(S3) — Title

What is our Egypt?

What does it take for God to get our attention...to live into His Story?

PRAY

Genesis…Exodus…Shiphrah and Puah

Exodus 1:17 “...because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.”

(S4) — Moses story in three parts

BIRTH—PLANS—CALLING—PLAN...

Moses’ BIRTH (2:1-10)

Mother (A Levite)…beautiful baby...protects the child...basket (ark)...Nile

— Pharaoh's daughter (Princess)...

— Baby’s sister (Miriam)...mother (nurse)

— Baby is adopted as the princess’ own...and named...

2:10 The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.”

Moses Plan—Escapes to Midian (2:11-22)

His identity crisis gets him in trouble—Hebrew...Egyptian...

Compassion for his suffering people: Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave...Two Hebrew men fighting...

Moses was conflicted with who he was...Consider how much our culture and our surroundings can defines us...who we are, how we live, act...

The struggle with our Identity is real today...in what defines us? Work, family, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, wealth

What can get us into trouble still today, is letting culture shape our beliefs, values and behaviors over God’s word

Who am I? How is this part of my plan? …God, what is your plan for me?

(S5)

I. Moses’ cultural IDENTITY was not his true calling

Yes, he was an Egyptian prince raised in his adopted mothers world, but his longing for his peoples faith in God, over the God’s of the Egyptian...who he really was.

Moses’ PLANS (11-25)

— In fear, Moses flees for his life...to the land of Midian...

“A region southeast of Israel settled by the descendants of Midian, son of Abraham (Gen 25:2). The people there were apparently friendly to the Hebrews at the time...”

— Comes to a well...seven daughters...harassed by some shepherds...

2:17 So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. Then he drew water for their flocks.

…they return to tell their father how they were rescued by a stranger.

There is something very telling about Moses; how he saw those who were hurting

(S6)

II. Moses was a RESCUER at heart

He had a passion for justice; to defend the poor, the hurting...

Maybe that’s your heart? Good News...God will use it...if you live into His story, not just your own

Moses gets the girl, starts a family…shepherd’s his father-in-laws flock...wife (Zipporah)...son...

2:22 “Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he explained, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.””

Moses’s wandering years... living only into his plans...

“When we make our plans, God laughs”

(3:1) —Moses living into his story; tending sheep...comes near Sinai (Mountain of God)—wandered out of Midian towards Egypt (food)

— There very place Moses would one day lead the people to meet God

We don’t always know what’s in store when we are living into God’s story...

Moses was still living his plan; running from his problems, wanting never to go back to Egypt...and God was about to mess with his plans

(S7) —

Turn on Flaming Bush

2 “There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.”

Maybe you’ve tried to run from a problem? From your life choices; your own plan

Running; some things have changed (physically)

If you are really following Jesus, not just playing church...you will soon discover that you can’t outrun God...

Moses could not run fast enough and far enough from…from God’s story; a foot race he could not win; running from every problem for forty years

(S8)

III. God RESCUES the rescuer

God who saw the need of the Hebrew people sees the need to first to rescue Moses

Airplane/Oxygen Mask

The story of Exodus begins with God having to convince an 80 year old man to change his plans — “Moses its time you live into my story and learn who you are”

Moses is drawn to this strange and amazing sight…

Exodus 3:4 “When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

The bush…not burning up is a great story....but its not about the bush

“It’s not about Basketball!” Isaiah Thomas (Heromaker)

“Here I am!” Moses replied.” — One thing Moses had going for him…

{Hebrews 11:24–26}

Moses was living his plan, but had not lost his faith in God…the one now calling him

(S9)

5 ““Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

Everything in his life comes to a climax; in this moment this place where Moses was meant to be…

6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

— I AM the God you know —“ I AM the one who has heard the cry of my people...”

We can imagine Moses’ response, Yes! God finally...but there is the caveat...I AM the one who is calling you to bring the people out of Egypt...and INTO my Story

10 “Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.””

Moses was comfortable in his plans…Egypt was the last place he wanted to go! God had a different plan...

All of his insecurities come to light when Moses’ HERE I AM quickly turns into 2 questions...

(S10) —

WHO AM I?

— (4:1) What if they don’t believe me...

— (4:10) I’m not good with words...

— (4:13) Please send anyone but me...

Ever have trouble seeing yourself unworthy of God’s plan?

— God’ calling will always take us out of our comfort zone…

Moses’ insecurities, reveal his being unsettled with his past…why he is in the wilderness in the first place...

“God relates your choices to your destiny, but he is the one who fixes everything.” T.Keller

God answers his doubt with encouragement..and with words that are prophetic

12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

Bush (seneh)—Sanai (sinay)—”it is certainly conceivable that the mention of the bush, sĕneh, was designed also to become a reminder of its location, sı̂nāy”

Who am I? God says, you are the one I have called!

— (4:2) What is in your hand? Staff

— (4:12) I will instruct you in what to say...

— (4:14) I will not send you alone.

2. WHO ARE YOU?

— How can I be sure...? How will they know its you...?

Mark 8:27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

(S11) — God reveals himself to Moses

14 “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.”

I Am who CALLS you OUT of your Egypt, so I can deliver my people INTO my promise, my plans; into my Story

Exodus 3:8 “I have come down to rescue them and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey…

I AM, the one who says GO...Its time to get to work! To live into my Story

From Prince of the world; Egypt and all it represented—to Prophet and rescuer—delivered from out of his plans and into into God’s story…so he could deliver his suffering people.

It comfortable to live in our story, our plans…its not all bad. But the question remains are we wiling to live into God’s plan, to be a part of His great story of redemption, hope and promise?

(S12)

What I discovered...that God’s STORY was different than my PLANS! To live into God’s plans, I had to...

1. Stop running…

...from your past mistakes, decisions…seek God’s forgivness. God still rescues...

2. Let go…

Moses couldn't enter into God’s story, until he was willing to let go of his own plans. Leaving behind his comfort in exchange for the uncomfortable.

— You may have plans...good plans, but those plans may not fit into the story God wants to write in your life.

3. Notice the Burning Bushes along the way

God still communicates, still calls the faithful.

— something new…to be a apart of His story

Are you willing to say Here I am? Seek God’s presence?

4. Find Holy Ground

…and draw near to know who God is? To live into God’s Holiness

To trust that God will go with you?

God still uproots our plans…messes with our story leading us out so we will find our way INTO God’s story

There is another encounter with the burning fire of God…

Acts 2:1–4 “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

(S13)

What are your plans? How about asking, “God, what are your plans for me?”

What is your Egypt?

What will it take for God to get your attention?

Are you willing to take one step forward into God’s plan?

Stop Running—Let Go—Notice the Burning Bushes—Find Holy Ground—Live into God’s story!